


Touch across time: "Nightmare in the castle"

by Nykamito



Category: Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Crossover, F/M, Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-10-03 22:58:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17293007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nykamito/pseuds/Nykamito
Summary: Lightning finds herself running through the halls of lucis castle, away from the very people she loves and has sworn to protect.But in these strange surge of events she finds herself face to face with an unlikely fellow.Ardyn Izunia...





	Touch across time: "Nightmare in the castle"

"I have to keep running!" Those were the words Lightning kept running through her head, hoping that would be enough to keep her going. That her body wouldn't fail her because now of all times it couldn't.

It was after her, they were after her. Everyone she ever loved and cared about was at her throat. She had failed her mission and now they were paying for it.  
The scourge was oozing down the halls of the castle, spreading throughout the grounds. It was like being chased by the chaos all over again, accept for what was chasing after her was a direct result of her failure.  
As she ran through the castle she passed by people she knew. They were drained of their life, some chained from the ceiling as the scourge ran through and fell out of them. Others were like the undead populating the halls, along with the ooze that dripped from them.  
These were people she had worked with, had lunch breaks with and even people she'd bumped into.

The smell alone was enough to make her stomach yack. And the sight was even awful, especially when she saw them reaching out to her. Begging for help, but it was too late for them...

It wasn't until she heard a familar voice call out to her that made her freeze, "light-ning?"

When she turned to look it was him, at first she shook her head in disbelief. There was no way he got caught not him! Not him!  
But there was no mistaking those steel blue eyes, and the necklace around his neck that she'd given him for their anniversary.

She burst out, "Nyx!" Her body moved on its own trying to save him, to touch him, to try to preserve something. But no matter how much she ran, lightning didn't get any closer to him.  
Instead she watched the light drain from his eyes and scourge consume him mind, body and soul. Soon he was up walking like the creatures that were chasing her. The scene broke her, and she couldn't keep running. What was there left to fight for?

The creatures drew closer and closer to her, some crawling others walking. She looked up to them and simply awaited whatever fate had in store for her.

They were within arms reach of her when she felt someone literally pick her up and push her forward. When she turned to see who it was that helped her up, she simply heard voices.  
"Focus on the mission!"

"Its not a matter of can or can't somethings you just gotta do!"

"Its not over yet sis!"  
"We still need you, have you forgotten your promise?"

It was them, they were still alive and with her. She had to atleast push forward for them. Gathering whatever strength she had lightning continued to run away from the nightmare in the castle that seemed endless. Every turn was a run in with those creatures or the liquid itself. Her legs were about to give until she saw a set of stairs that hadn't been touched by the black liquid.

Quickly she made her way up the stairs, relief washing over her if only for a moment. Making it to the top lightning found herself in the crystal chambers, there she saw a man who seemed unfazed by the events transpiring around them. In fact he seemed pleased with it, at home even.

Lightning stepped back drawing forth her blade, "who the hell are you?!"

The tall man simply titled his hat to her and smiled, "oh me my dear, i didn't think i needed an introduction. With you being sent by the gods themselves afterall. I thought they would have spoken about me, or am i still crossed out of the history books. Ooh I'm hurt."  
He placed a hand over his heart playing the part of a heart broken man, but lightning stood unfaded.

She only moved when she heard them coming, their moans and cries for help.  
Shifting her attention away from the mysterious man, she went to block the scourged beings from getting inside.

Unfortunately whatever they lacked in brains they made up for in strength together, as they began to bang on the dual metal doors. Denting it with every hit. And the ooze from their bodies and throughout the castle seemed to converge on the room. Lightning tried with all her might but this room wouldn't stay impenetrable for long.

Thats when he began to walk over, his foot steps began to echo in her head. And his voice lingered in the air, every sentence took longer to dissipate. Once he was only a few inches away, lightning drew her blade towards his throat.  
"I don't care what horrors await me from behind these doors, but I'll be damned if i let my guard down. For someone like you!" Lightning was afraid and you could hear it in her voice. But you could also hear rage mixed with devistation.

Still he pressed past her blade, "oh my dear here i am not your enemy, rather an in between guy. You best save your strength for those things out there should they brake through. But it would be a rather unpleasant fight though. So why not avoid the fight and simply use the crystal. It seems to react to you dear. Maybe you can use it. Of course this is only an idea, no guarantees of what will happen to you."

Lightning turned away from him and looked towards the crystal that seemed to glow deeply. As if calling to her, but if lightning were to move the metal doors would give way.

Sadily she wasn't given much time to think, as the creatures had knocked her back. And busted open the double doors. Their cries almost paralyzing.

But the mysterious man had managed to catch her from falling back against the floor, "you could have hurt yourself you know? Well anyway off you go." In an emotional yet dramatic voice he called out, "Only the crystal can deliver us all, now go young champion!" He threw his hands up and began to walk casually over to the creatures. As if greeting old friends.

Lightning began making her way to the crystal, she could have sworm she'd touched it once before or she believes that she did. But honestly her memory was alittle fuzzy. But now wasn't the time to debate.

The man played defense but it looked more like ball room damcing, as the creatures swong at him. Lightning wondered was he always this dramatic with everything he did?

Focusing her attention on the crystal she called out, "Give me the power to save them! To fix this mess!" She held her hand out toward the crystal and in an instance, the creatures were gone. But when she tried to move she couldn't, the same could not be said about the mystery man. He moved closer and closer to her like a ghost, an old memory.

With each step he drew closer to her and his smile grew bigger more devious. "You my dear have been a pleasure to watch. The gods have surely chosen a true warrior to aid in the saving of this world and I applaud them. But i wonder how good.are.you."

With that he raised his hand to cup her face, "surely the gods wouldn't let such a beauty go to waste. Hm?"

Lightning fought with all her might but she couldn't budge from the crystals grasp, the only words she managed to say was. "Screw you!"

He chuckled, "Oh i should give you a name for you to add behind that. My name is Ardyn Izunia, it was a pleasure to meet you. Lets not wait till the next scourge to meet again hm?" With that he let go of her face as she began to be consumed into the crystal.

All the while Lightning cursed him, and he simply smiled telling her. "You can wake up now.."

Those words seemed to echo for awhile, as she began float for what felt like an eternity.

Until she found herself jumping up from her bed. Sweat dripping down her face, her bed a mess and her blankets on the floor along with her phone.

After sitting in her bed for awhile waiting for her heart rate to calm down. "What the hell was that? A dream? But it felt so real..."

Far from prying eyes in Niflheim base, Ardyn sat in a captain's chair his feet propped onto a coffee table as he rubbed his chin, "she was truly a work of art, i can't wait to meet up with her again soon. My little champion.."

**Author's Note:**

> Hii hope you enjoyed the madness,  
> (But for the record i don't ship ardyn and light, don't think it would end well 😂
> 
> Anyway thank you for reading my fic and if you have any comments or advice please feel free to lemme know. Still trying to improve my writing.  
> Hope you guys and gals have a great day🐣


End file.
